Martha Stewart Living Newsletter

Introduction

Simplicity, order, and neatness in every aspect of life: what better inspiration for a baby's room? We took some good, sensible ideas and created a nursery in autumn colors, throwing in a pastoral theme for fun. Animals, baskets, and peaked-roof houses are recurring motifs.

The simple, peaked canopy sheltering the crib makes it resemble a house; remove it once the baby can pull up to a stand.

materials

Two woven fabrics

3/8-inch dowel one-third as long as your crib

Twill tape

Sewing supplies

Four screw eyes

Mounting anchors

Drill

Monofilament

Adhesive-backed Velcro tabs

steps

Determine length of canopy based on height of crib and desired height of canopy; it will be slightly narrower than the dowel length (ours was 66 1/2 by 26 inches). Cut your fabrics to size.

Stack the fabrics, wrong sides facing, and topstitch close to edges. Wrap twill tape around raw edges of canopy, mitering the corners, and sew in place. Fold in half crosswise. At folded edge, measure in 1 inch. Topstitch across to create a channel for dowel. Slip dowel through channel, and screw one screw eye into each end of dowel.

With drill and mounting anchors, mount two more screw eyes in ceiling over crib directly above those in dowel. Hang dowel with monofilament through the screw eyes, adjusting height.

Apply two Velcro tabs to each side of crib (spaced for corners of canopy); sew counterpart to inside corners of canopy. To attach a bird, wire or sew bird's feet to dowel. Slip hanging monofilament under wing to keep bird upright.